Belly,
Exactly as I've already ranted on an ounce of prevention is worth a ton cure.
The bunker solution with O2 tanks safely stored might help as the line of last life saving only. Personally I wouldn’t decide to stay bunker or no bunker. Like you I’ve seen far too many including fire storms, Burned bodies and the smell who can forget the stench of burnt flesh.

The only absolute solution is to do away with trees and grass altogether. Mind you there is a down side to that.
There is no way in this country to stop bushfires only manage them. The country has evolved to burn. Likewise so long as there are people there will be nutters.
I have and would continue to Carp that the problem is everybody's concern and everybody should be involved.

Locally I helped organize a SES/fire brigade/council fire preparation afternoon (I door knocked every house personally) not because of being a saint in waiting, I was simply aware of the risks. And no one came.

As I also said elsewhere every environment has its nutters, risks etc either be aware, properly prepared or pay the price. ‘Too busy’, ‘didn’t know’ aren’t excuses they’re epitaphs.

People

Another thing concerning the fire people.
The funds being given by Kevin Rudd - Ten grand for funderals + Another ten for a four person family
Um, but are they asking them to sign off on that.

In other words do they just pop that into their bank accounts or must they do a non disclose no more action etc..
Can anybody check on that.
Re bunckers Double brick. These people often do not have a lot of money.

Lets not forget that.

examinator
"The only absolute solution is to do away with trees and grass altogether"
This is the best solution and this should be compulsary for every house close to the forest. With this way we protect the houses and the forest.
Usualy the fire start from a backyeard and goes to forest and return to other houses.
BUT IF THE YEARD IS CLEAR FROM GRASS AND TREES THEN THE FIRE STAY AT THIS YEARD OR BURN ONLY THE HOUSE FROM THIS YEARD.
I continue to suggest that the premiere from Victoria MUST resign, he must prove that he understand the size of the tragedy, he must accept his failure to protect the people, he must prove that he is sensitive politician who respect the victims from the fires and their families.
His resignation would oxygen our political life and would give a big moral and mental boost to ALP supporters.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

*Re bunckers Double brick. These people often do not have a lot of money.*

This is often just a question of priorities. Fact is that the
average Aussie home has nearly doubled in size in the last 30 years,
from 13 squares to 26 squares. It used to be a 3 by one, now its
a 4 by 2 with all mod cons.

To really understand houses and housebuilding, you need to go to
Europe. I've seen houses there, many hundreds of years old, still
lived in, still standing, with huge rock walls. They are amazing
for insulation and they never burn down.

Here we have a habit of knocking together a bit of timber and fibro,
making it look flash and calling it a house. Alot of the time,
people will spend far more on the land, then they ever do on the
building.

When I built my place, I had 2 Grand and alot of dreams. Ok it
took a few years lol, but I carted the bricks, poured the concrete
and after many years it was finished. It will still stand for
a long time after I have been chewed up by the worms :(

My point is, that if people want to live in areas that are fire prone,
it might pay to think about their priorities, like how easily the
place could burn down.

Some take the easy option and just rely on insurance. In the US
that has all changed, as insurers assess the risk of a house burning
and those with high risk houses, pay accordingly. My prediction
is that the same will happen here eventually.

According to media reports the Prime Minister has committed the Australian Government to implementing a bushfire warning system rapidly across Australia: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/13/2490266.htm

The Victorian Government successfully trialled a "Community Information and Warning System" in 2005. The system calls all phones in an area with a voice message and logs those phones which received and did not receive the message. There is a 118 page "The Report of the Trial and Evaluation" available from the Victorian Department of Justice (2006): http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/DOJ+Internet/resources/file/.../Community_information_and_warning_system.pdf

It should be noted that the proposed National Broadband Network (NBN) may make telephone based emergency communications less reliable. The NBN, will accelerate the trend away from use of the public switched telephone network. More people will be using the Internet for making phone calls. Even if the NBN can operate without mains power during a fire, most of the customer equipment for making phone calls over it cannot. This is not an unintended consequence, but a deliberate decision by the federal government to build a less reliable communications network. The request for proposal for the NBN asks about provision of battery backup of the equipment and mentions emergency calls, but as I noted in a talk for Turkey's earthquake warning centre in 2007, this was a low priority for the system (16 out of 18 items): http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/it/emergency_management/

An alternative is the use of text messages to mobile phones. The Sydney CBD as an opt in SMS emergency service for building managers. The problems with SMS systems are well known to emergency personnel.

In my view the use of cell broadcast to mobile phones should be looked at for an Australian warning system. This technology is built into the mobile phone standards and can transmit a text message to all phones in an area in a few seconds. It is more efficient than SMS and does not require subscribers to be registered to receive messages. A message can be sent to all mobile phones in an area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_Broadcast

Anansi “ColR, you yourself are one of the few posters on OLO wallowing in the shallow end of the gene pool. Flinging around emotional opinions that contribute very, very little.”

Your opinion is noted, scratched out, discarded and ignored.

That you cannot deal with either criticism for your pixie-party ideals or the truth is your problem, not mine.

I will continue to post as I see fit.

I infact, welcome your objections, it is one of the reasons I post here… it gives me chance to slap a retard,

Which is not a particularly noble or fair sport but who cares, reality is, we are equal only before the law… everywhere else I stand head and shoulders above the likes of you… get used to it

And you might consider that tinged with a bit of hubris but think on this.... you are the one who decided to criticise not the content of my posts but me.

PALE “These people often do not have a lot of money”

If someone cannot afford to cover the cost implications of living in a certain area, the solution is within the capacity of anyone and everyone, MOVE ELSEWHERE.

Although I do not think in the absolute terms that is a solution… if you live in an area, on your own land, you should be free to treat that land as you see fit and not in accordance with the maniacal demands of greenie activists who make controlled back burning and tree clearing, to build a fire break a punishable offence.

It is up to the people who live in these areas to kick stupid morons off their councils and elect those who possess functioning brains and respect for landowners rights to control the disposition of their own property.

One final thing… the $50+ million collected from private individuals compared to the performance of Centrerlink has proven once again, you can rely on the compassion and commonsense of private individuals, despite the faux-promises of electioneering, you are screwed if you think government gives a rats.